Door handle escutcheon



April 30, 1935. G. J. HAAN, JR

DOOR HANDLE ESCUTCHEON Filed Sept. 24, 1954 "KW Y m0 m M m 0 J f. n W n MJ Y. B

Patented Apr. 30, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE signor to Keeler Brass Mich.

Company, Grand Rapids,

Application September 24, 1934, Serial No. 745,277

12 Claims.

The main object of this invention is to provide an improved door handle escutcheon which eliminates the'use of screws or bolts and which is simple and economical in its parts and very efliclent and efiective for the purpose intend;d.

Objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appear from the description to follow. The inventionis defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary view partially in top plan and partially in horizontal section of a door handle assembly embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken on a line corresponding to line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on a line corresponding to line 33 of Figs. 1 and 2 with a releasing tool indicatedby dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the retaining member.

Referring to the drawing, I in general is a door having a handle 2, the latter being fixedly secured to the outer end of the spindle 3 which extends through the outer panel or wall 4 of the chambered door. metal and is therefore preferably provided with a metal reinforcing plate 5, these parts having an opening 6 provided with opposed slots 1.

The hollow escutcheon 8 is arranged over the opening at the front of the panel and is provided with a tubular body member or shell 9 having opposed wall slots Ill facing or alining with the slots 1. The escutcheon 8 and body member 9 are held in fixed assembled relation by the engagement of the out-turned flange II at one end of the body member with the internal groove G2 at the inner-end of the escutcheon.

Within the tubular body member 9, I telescope the annular retaining member l3, these parts being'held together by the engagement of the inturned flange M of the retaining member with the inwardly, axially and outwardly turned flange G5 at the inner end of the body member. The retaining member I 3 is provided with integral outwardly "inclined keepers IB which extend through the slots ll] of the body member and t'erminate in arched inwardly inclined portions H which are adapted to engage the backing plate 5 in the opposed slots 1 and prevent the escutch- The panel 4 is formed of sheet opening with the keepers alined with the slots 1 and press the escutcheon into place as shown by Fig. 2, until the resilient keepers snap outwardly. The arched portions l'l coact with the inside of the panel to maintain a tight fit between the escutcheon and the panel.

The escutcheon is thereby not only itself held in position relative to the door, but it also acts to hold the handle 2 and its spindle 3 in position, the spindle 3 being held in place relative to the escutcheon assembly by means of the compression spring H) which is disposed between the end caps 20. These caps engage the inner end of the escutcheon assembly and the lateral lugs 2| of the spindle respectively. The compression spring l9 thus keeps the shank 22 of the handle in resilient engagement with the inturned fiange 23 of the escutcheon 8.

In order to remove the escutcheon from the door panel, the keepers !6 are adapted to be. collapsed within the tubular body member by means of the U-shaped' tool 24 indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 by dotted lines. The prongs of the tool 24 are inserted through the openings 25 in the door and when engaged with the keepers 16, as shown, collapse these parts within the tubular body member and permit the escutcheon assembly to be withdrawn from the door.

From the above description of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I provide a door handle escutcheon which is simple and economical in its parts and which elimihates the use of screws and bolts. My escutcheon also acts to hold the parts in assembled relation and prevent rattling when the door is vibrated a common occurrence in motor vehicles. I

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment which I have found very practical. 'I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations, as it c is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvaments as may be desired.

. Although I have shown and described a certain specific embodiment of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not tobe retricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus d'scribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: I

1. The combination with a door panel having an opening, of a handle escutcheon engaging the front of said panel and having a tubular body member extending through said opening, the body member being provided with opposed wall slots, and a retaining member secured within said body member and having resilient keepers extending through said slots and engaging the panel, said keepers being adapted to be collapsed within said body member to permit the withdrawal of the escutcheon assembly through said opening, the panel engaging portions of said keepers being inclined relative thereto so as to maintain a tight fit between said escutcheon and said panel.

2. The combination with a door panel having an opening provided with opposed slots, of a handle escutcheon engaging the front of said panel and having a tubular body member extending through said opening, the body member being provided with opposed wall slots alining with the slots in said opening, and an annular retaining member secured within said body member and having resilient keepers extending through said slots and engaging the panel, the panel engaging portions of said keepers being inclined relative thereto so as to maintain a tight fit between said escutcheon and said panel, said keepers coacting with said slots to prevent rotation of the parts relative to the panel.

3. The combination with a door panel having an opening provided with opposed slots, of a handle escutcheon engaging the front of said panel and having a tubular body member extending through said opening, the body member being provided with opposed wall slots alining with the slots in said opening, and a retaining member secured within said body member and having resilient keepers extending through said slots and engaging the panel, said keepers coaeting with said slots to prevent rotation of the parts.

4. The combination with a panel having an opening therein, of an escutcheon provided with a barrel portion having longitudinal slots therein disposed through the panel opening and having a shoulder engaging the outer side of the panel, a spindle housing seated on the outer end of the escutcheon, and spring keepers mounted within said barrel portion of said escutcheon and comprising outwardly inclined arm portions projecting through said slots and provided with inwardly inclined panel engaging portions disposed in opposed relation to said shoulder of the escutcheon so that the keepers collapse inwardly when the barrel portion of the assembly is pushed through the panel opening and automatically spring out to engaging position when the escutcheon shoulder is in engagement with the panel.

5. The combination with a panel having an opening therein, of an escutcheon provided with a barrel portion having longitudinal slots therein disposed through the panel opening and having a shoulder engaging the outer side of the panel, a spindle housing seated on the outer end of the escutcheon, and spring keepers mounted within said barrel portion of said escutcheon and projecting through said slots to engage the inside of the panel when the barrel portion of the escuicheon is inserted therein.

6. The combination of an escutcheon provided with a barrel portion having opposed longitudinal slots therein disposed through a panel opening and having a shoulder engaging the outer side of the panel, and spring keepers mounted within said barrel portion of said escutcheon and comprising outwardly inclined arm portions projecting through said slots and provided with inwardly inclined panel engaging portions disposed in opposed relation to said shoulder of the escutcheon so that the keepers collapse inwardly when the barrel portion of the assembly is pushed through the panel opening and automatically spring out to engaging position when the escutcheon shoulder is in engagement with the panel.

'7. The combination of an escutcheon provided with a barrel portion having opposed longitudinal slots therein disposed through a panel opening and having a shoulder engaging the outer side of the panel, spring keepers-mounted within said barrel portion of said escutcheon and projecting through said slots to engage the inside of the panel when the barrelportion of the escutcheon ,is inserted therein.

8. The combination with a hollow escutcheon having an internal groove at its rear edge, of a tubular body member having an out-turned flange at one end engaged in said groove and an inwardly and axially and outwardly turned flange at its other end, the tubular body member having opposed wall slots, and an annular retaining member telescoped .within said body member and having an out-turned flange at one end engaged with the last named flange of the body member, said retaining member having outwardly inclined resilient keepers extending through said slots and terminating in arched inwardly inclined portions, the inner ends of which project axially within the tubular body member.

9. The combination with a hollow escutcheon having an internal groove at its rear edge, of a tubular body member having an out-turned flange at one end engaged in said groove and an inwardly and axially and outwardly turned flange at its other end, the tubular body member having opposed wall slots, and a retaining member telescoped within said body member and having an out-turned flange at one end engaged with the last named flange of the body member, said retaining member having outwardly inclined resilient keepers extending through said slots.

10. The combination with a hollow escutcheon, of a tubular body member connected to said escutcheon, the tubular body member having opposed wall slots, and a retaining member telescoped within said body member and having outwardly inclined resilient keepers extending through said slots and terminating in inwardly inclined portions.

11. The combination of an escutcheon provided with a shell having slots therein and having an inwardly facing shoulder, a spindle housing seated on the outer end of the escutcheon, and spring keepers mounted within said shell portion of said escutcheon and comprising outwardly inclined arm portions projecting through said slots in said shell and provided with inwardly inclined panel engaging portions disposed in opposed relation to the inwardly facing shoulder of the escutcheon.

12. The combination of an escutcheon provided with a shell having openings therein and having an inwardly facing shoulder, a spindle housing seated on the outer end of the escutcheon, and spring keepers mounted within said shell and projecting through said openings to engage the inside of a panel when the shell is inserted in an opening therein.

GILBERT JAY HAAN, JR. 

